Bone broth

I believe in keeping the bone broth recipe simple.  If it gets too complicated, I will not make it. Here is my easy bone broth.  

Bones-beef, chicken, turkey, pork, lamb; whatever you have is fine

Apple cider vinegar

Carrots, onions, celery (optional)

This works best with a big crock pot. Place bones and veggies in crock pot.  Place enough water in the crock pot to cover the bones.  Add 1/4 cup of apple cider vinegar.  Let the mixture sit in the crock pot for 30 minutes.  After 30 minutes, turn the crock pot on low for 12 hours.  

**Note**  I do this at night so no one is bothered by the crock pot.  

Lamb Roast

I recently purchased a whole lamb from a local feed/tack store.  The feed store is able to get whole lambs from a rancher outside of Rock Springs.  The lamb is all grass--no feed lot!!

Crock pot lamb roast

1 lamb roast
Montreal herb seasoning
Salt pepper
1/2 to 1 cup water

The roast can be frozen or thawed.  The roast I used was frozen.  Sprinkle enough seasoning, salt, and pepper to coat the roast.  I used about 4 tablespoons of Montreal herb seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.  Place roast in crock pot and cover with 1/2 to 1 cup of water.  I always add more water because I live at 6500 ft. The extra water helps keep my roasts moist.  Cook on low for 8 hours if frozen and 6 hours on low if thawed.

Turkey Brine

Brine from my sister in-law.  I like using this brine and then basting my turkey with a hard cider.

85 grams kosher salt - this must be weighed every salt is different and will greatly affect the taste if not precise 2/3 Cup sugar 6 whole cloves 1 t black peppercorns 2 teaspoons whole allspice berries 6 quarter size slices of ginger 2 bay leaves 6 cups unsweetened apple cider 2 c hot water 4 cups ice water Navel orange Grind peppercorns and allspice roughly in spice grinder or crush with rolling pin Stir salt sugar cloves, peppercorns, and allspice. Add ginger, bay leaves apple cider and hot water. Bring to boil over high heat and stir until salt and sugar has dissolved. Boil three minutes and remove from heat. Add ice water and orange pieces and stir til cool. Set aside and cool to room temp. Pour brine on turkey and let brine for 12 hours to 24 hours. Flip bird 4 times if basting in a bag. Remove turkey from brine and let rest refrigerated for 6 hours.

Homemade fruit snacks

It is very hard to find all natural fruit snacks.  I've been experimenting with different Paleo fruit snack recipes and I came up with one.  Grass fed gelatin can be found on Amazon and it has free 2 day shipping with Amazon Prime.  I did not want to wait to make fruit snacks, so I just used regular Knox gelatin.  Knox gelatin can be found in the grocery store in the jello isle. Here is the mixed berry fruit snacks.  I'm working on strawberry and mango today.

Mixed Berry Fruit Snacks
2 bags of frozen mixed berries (12 oz size), frozen or thawed
5-6 tablespoons honey
4 envelopes of gelatin or 1/2 cup

On the stove top, bring berries to a boil in a pot. Using a spatula or potato masher, break berries into a pulp.  Using a fine mesh sieve or cheesecloth, strain berry juice into a mixing bowl.  A few seeds is fine and I'm sure the seeds can be left in; it all depends on personal taste. There should be about 2 cups of berry mixture.  Next add the honey and gelatin, then transfer back to the pot.  Bring berry mix to a boil and cook for 1 minute. Fruit mix can be transferred into mini shaped ice cube molds or into a 2 qt casserole dish.  Place pans or trays in the fridge to set up.

Berry fruit snacks

Strawberry mango fruit snacks
3 mango or 1 small package of frozen mango
1 packages of frozen strawberries
5 tablespoons of honey (can add more)
1/2 cup of water
1/2 cup of gelatin
Pulse fruit in food processor.  Add fruit and water to a sauce pot and bring to a simmer.  Add honey and cook for 5 minutes.  Remove from heat and add gelatin, stir until combined. Pour into shaped ice trays or pans.  Let set up in the refrigerator or counter.

**Note** I let this batch set up on the counter and it took a couple of days for the fruit to set up.

Blueberry fruit snacks
1 package of frozen blueberries, frozen or thawed
1 cup of orange juice
1/2 cup gelatin
4 tablespoons of honey (can add more)
Pulse berries in food processor.  Add fruit and juice to pot, bring to a simmer.  Add honey and cook for 5 minutes.  Remove from heat and add gelatin, stir until combined. Pour into shaped trays or pans.  Let set up in the refrigerator or counter.